


The boat back to hell

by EmmyYq



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018), Soul Eater
Genre: Ancient Greece, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, F/M, Resbang 2020, Resonance Bang, Resonance Bang 2020, hades spoilers, mother tsubaki, no permanent death, wes is a real one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29923929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmyYq/pseuds/EmmyYq
Summary: Many many years ago when the over-world was dominated by cold and snow, a flower bloomed in the underworld. Soul, God of the underworld, held his son, Wes, close to him as the night grew colder. Silent footsteps swayed through the home as Wes's mother made her escape. The child grew up with his found family as his father shunned the boy and his mother never knew he existed. He had always suspected something was wrong. It may be his one green eye, or his tan, human-like skin, but somehow Wes knew that his family was hiding something. One day, during his daily dispute with his father, Wes finally finds who his mother is as his companions, both those who know his true goal and those who were lied to, rush to help him escape the underworld. During his many attempts, Wes rushes to find his real mother who has escaped from the underworld to reunite his parents and finally feel accomplished.
Relationships: Maka Albarn & Soul Eater Evans, Maka Albarn/Soul Eater Evans, Soul Eater Evans & Wes Evans
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3
Collections: Soul Eater Resonance Bang 2020





	1. No matter the cost

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first resbang ever and I'm an amateur writer so I'm very sorry if there are any issues or you don't like how I write. I felt repetitive but I'm very glad I was able to join this year!!
> 
> Thanks to my beautiful artists this year who had to put up with me I love you so so so much!!  
> https://alcruid.tumblr.com/  
> https://victoriapyrrhi.tumblr.com/
> 
> Here's a slight list to maybe help if you become confused.  
> Hades/Soul  
> Persephone/Maka  
> Zagreus/Wes  
> Charon/Crona  
> Megaera/Kid  
> Hypnos/Ox  
> Thanatos/Killik  
> Alecto/Liz  
> Tisiphone/Patty  
> Nyx/Tsubaki  
> Achilles/Black Star  
> Cerberus/Blair
> 
> Theseus/Medusa  
> Asterious/Arachne  
> \---  
> Ares/Stein  
> Aphrodite/Marie  
> Poseidon/Sid  
> Artemis/Jacquelin  
> Hermes/Kim  
> Zeus/Harverd  
> Athena/Free  
> Dionysus/Giriko

**Chapter 1: No matter the cost.**

The surface of the earth was a cold and bitter world as the Olympian Gods watched over it. An eternal drought of warmth flooded the overworld, unchanged for years. Deep below the surface, under three different lands, lay the prince of the undead. The cold sheets chilled Wes’s pale skin. It was night as it always is in the underworld, but unlike the rest of the underworld, Wes was alive. He was a God, born from two Gods to rule the underworld alongside his father, but that is not the life Wes wanted. All the paperwork, the complaints, and watching over the dead was not for him. Sitting up, thoughts clouded his head. His warm feet touched the cold floor, sending shivers up his spine. Wes made his way out of the chilled room as the sounds of people grew closer. The halls were just ahead as Wes looked at an all too familiar spot. As usual, Tsubaki floated off the ground as she gave a soft wave to the smaller God. “Good morning… night Tsubaki.” Wes smiled as he received a pat on his head. 

“Hello, my child. What’s today’s plan?” Tsubaki planted her feet down next to Wes as they made their way into the growing crowds. They passed many faces and greeted many more. Tsubaki was Wes’s mother and the only family that had cared for him. She’s always cared for him since birth as his father was always away. Tsubaki and Wes passed by his father, Soul, who only glanced at them before indulging himself back into work. Tsubaki could only sigh as she watched him work, a certain sadness in her eyes. Once the duo walked past into the west hall, a loud voice boomed out for them. When they reached Black Star, the mood started to lighten up. The roars of laughter could be heard on the overworld when Black Star was there, and soon a certain trio came along to quiet them. Kid stood next to Black Star’s post, fixing its problems before dusting Black Star himself off. Wes watched as Tsubaki stood and chatted with Liz and Patty. Wes was talking with the group as the day grew longer. Today was like the other days, as nothing much happened in the underworld. Nothing new would happen as no new wars were started. As if on cue, Soul walked over. His large build cast a shadow onto Wes, taking everyone’s attention.

“If you have enough time to play around, then you must not have enough work.” Soul spat out, locking eyes with everyone but Wes. “And you, Wes… Just because you’ve been fired from the office doesn’t mean you can’t learn something useful!” Their eyes never met as Soul spoke. Soul’s pale arms crossed as he looked down on them. No one spoke, not even a single breath was taken. A puff of air left Wes as the larger white-haired male then turned on his heel with his deep red cape whipping behind him. 

A soft hand landed on Wes’s shoulder as his angered mismatched eyes met with Tsubaki’s saddened dark purple ones. They turned back to watch Soul disappear behind the large cat Blair. The crowd of friends gathered around Wes, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. Wes kept his eyes on where Soul was, feeling the anger inside of his chest calm. Tsubaki placed a hand on Wes’s face, making him face her.

“Your father wasn’t always like that. He used to take breaks and never work. He would rather laze and run around in Elysium than do all that work.” Tsubaki removed her hand from Wes’s face as Black Star grabbed her arm. Wes let out a pathetic laugh as he tried to imagine his father being so carefree. 

“Yea, sure, but that doesn’t excuse how he treats you or me. I mean, aren’t you father’s lover?” Wes fostered to himself. “I’m your child! And I’m his child... We are supposed to be a family, but we aren’t.” 

Tsubaki’s face wrinkled as she opened her mouth, only to be stopped. “Tsubaki…” Black Star’s grip was not tight, but not loose. “It’s not our place to get involved.”

“Yes, it is! We cared and we looked after Wes as he grew, Black Star you should know more than anyone about how strong Wes is-”

“What are you talking about?” Wes inserted himself into the conversation. Everyone gave each other _that_ look. “What makes me so different from you guys?” Wes asked as the lingering amount of unanswered questions only grew.

“Tsubaki’s right Black Star…” Kid started. “He deserves to know and if you are not going to be the one to tell him, I’ll do it.” Patty hugged Wes as everyone huddled closer. “Wes…”

“No,” the normally quiet voice of Tsubaki suddenly boomed. “I’ll tell him alone. I’m responsible for it anyway…” Tsubaki wept as Liz wiped her tears away. “Once everyone is asleep, I promise to tell you, Wes.” Tsubaki lifted an arm as she started to disappear. 

“Wait!!” Wes reached out to grab the older Goddess, but she turned into a dark cloud and dispersed. Wes turned back to the others with panic in his eyes, unsure of the new situation in his hands. “Please…” He pleaded as everyone left for their respective jobs. The trio left for the chamber as Black Star sat with his mouth shut. Wes watched as he’s never seen Black Star quiet for so long. Not a peep, nor a snore was heard from the blue-haired soldier. 

Wes stood alone in the halls. No one to ask questions to, and no one to comfort him. Blair shrunk down and wandered around his legs as Wes picked her up. “Blair… what makes me so different?” Wes took a seat in one of the hall chairs. “Is it the green eye? Or not dead gray skin?” Wes let out a soft laugh as he joked with Blair curled up into a ball on his lap. The soft rumble of a purr echoed through the halls and seeped into his skin. It was a pleasant feeling, and it reminded him that others were also alive in the land of the dead. Wes sat back as his head became full again. Wes had known for a while that Tsubaki wasn’t his mom. He had been pushing her for the last few years, waiting for her to crack. The older he became, the more obvious the answer was. What type of child would have a green eye when the parents have red and purple? Well... What type of parent has a child they can’t even look in the eyes? Wes felt the soft fur against his hand as his head fell back. He watched the unchanging ceiling, wondering if it too craved to meet its creator. Wes was tired of all the lies, and he wanted the truth. Yes, he deeply respected Tsubaki, but he also wanted a family. He wanted to know what having a mom truly felt like. The unconditional love with no secrets, the one always willing to listen… What would his real mother look like? The quick seconds ticked into minutes, which washed into hours. He had spent long hours on the bench, feeling the deceased walk by and pity him. 

“Hey…” A scrappy voice spoke. Looking forward, Ox hovered in front of him. “It’s time, Tsubaki is waiting for you.” Blair had already left for his father’s room as Wes stretched. Feeling his elbows crack, a sense of satisfaction overcame him before he left for his dreadful room. His burning feet dragged across the floor as agony drew closer. The halls became dark as Wes slowly opened the curtains to his room. Tsubaki was standing in front of a new item in his room. A large black mirror stood in the once empty spot in his room. The gold trim was exquisite as the shine and reflection of the black mirror were crisp. Tsubaki did not turn to face him but stayed facing the mirror, her hand traced the rim as she softly sighed. 

“Wes, come stand with me.” Tsubaki swayed to a stop as Wes stood alongside her, looking at their reflections. The darkness in the mirror did not mute his colors but enhanced them. The red and green of his eyes shined while Tsubaki grayed in the mirror. “What do you see?” 

“I see…” Wes reached out to touch his reflection. The coldness of the mirror never came, but instead, a warm feeling ran through his veins. “I see… no, I know. I know I’m not your son Tsubaki.” Wes tore his eyes away from his reflection as he watched the tears fall from Tsubaki’s face. “I’ve known for a long time…” The larger Goddess could only weep as Wes tried to dry her tears. “But it’s not your fault, and I do still love you as a mother.” Tsubaki’s arms wrapped around the boy as they stood by the mirror. Their reflections lingered there, watching even after the two were moving to take a seat. 

“I tried… I truly love you, Wes, as if you were my own kin.” Cupping his face, Tsubaki kissed his forehead. “But you are not mine, no matter how hard we try.” 

“But Tsubaki… if you are not my mother, then who is?” 

“We can’t say who.” A voice scared the two as a figure walked in. Liz had a paper in hand as she walked closer. “Her name… it’s like a curse. If we say it, Soul will wake up.” Liz handed the small papyrus paper to Wes as she took a seat next to Tsubaki, helping the child-like Goddess dry her fresh tears. “He knows everything that happens in the underworld, and Soul won’t tolerate her name, but that note is the last anyone’s heard of her.” The small paper was so thin, but it managed to hold many answers to Wes’s heavy questions. He shakily took the scroll into his hands. He was afraid the paper would raise more questions, but this is what he’s always wanted. To see who his mother is, to know what she was like. To be loved like a son should be. The scroll unfolded itself without a sound as his eyes scanned the paper. The scroll contained beautiful handwriting but saddened words. 

_Soul: I can no longer tolerate my life here in this place. So, I am leaving, even if it kills me. I won't be returning to Olympus. If there is a place where I belong in this world, it must be somewhere between heaven and hell. Perhaps it's on the coast and has a little garden. I ask you to not follow me. Take care of Blair; I shall miss her._

_-Maka_

His eyes scanned the words many times, feeling a sense of panic fuel him. “Wait, that can’t be all, can it?” Wes flipped the scroll around and searched for more. “She just left? Like that? But what about me?” The smooth paper folded and bent under his touch. His grip grew as his boldness faded. He felt more lost than before. The underworld seemed to crumble as less and less made sense. 

“Your mother lives right outside the exit of the underworld…” Tsubaki managed to squeak out before sniffling. “I want to see her again…”

“Your father only has that to remember her by, and he keeps it on his desk at all times.” Liz looked at the crumbled corners near Wes’s hands. She quietly reached and grabbed the scroll back from Wes. She smoothed the corners, hoping to preserve the work further. “And please, no more questions tonight. We all need time to process and think about what comes next.” Tsubaki clung to Liz’s arm as they sat there in a soft silence. 

“I understand… but… what happens next?” Wes looked down as Liz patted his head. 

“All we can do for now is pray to the Gods for help.” She soon took her leave to return the scroll as Tsubaki left with her.

Once again, Wes was left alone to dream and wonder about the future. He laid in bed as his mind wandered from his mother to his father. What happened? Why did she leave? Wes was not mentioned once in her short note… and it churned his stomach. Unable to sit still, Wes made his way back to the large mirror in his room, looking for signs. He checked his face. His green eye shimmered as his pale peach skin looked dreadful in the black mirror. Messing with his hair, his thoughts wandered to what Maka would look like. Would she also have white hair? Would her green eyes be even more piercing than his father’s red ones?... did she even care for him? Would his real mother still love him? Would Maka take him in? Would he learn to love her? The thoughts continued to plant their dark seeds in his mind, as his anger grew out of control. “I just…” Wes spoke to his reflection. The reflection soon shifted itself into a different form of himself. Two green eyes stared back at him as he continued to change. Blonde hair and tanned skin became apparent as white robes replaced his deep red ones. Looking down at himself, Wes realized it was just his imagination… but… is that what his mother looked like? Would she want him if he looked like her? Would his father care for him then? “Why can’t I be what they want?” We cried as he attempted to punch the mirror, but his fist soon became engulfed by the surface. Hands came out of the reflection as he was soon pulled in. The speed of the hands were unimaginable, and no trace of Wes was left on the outside of the mirror.

Wes yelled as he was dragged to a stance inside the mirror. Looking around, there was only darkness. “Hello?” Wes asked, but it echoed against the nothingness inside the mirror. “Please…” Wes asked again to receive the same response. Suddenly, a small light shined. It was blinding at first, the small amount of light lit up the darkness in an ungodly way, and it only got brighter as the light came closer. Soon, Wes felt terrified. The light was coming closer and brought waves of wind, pushing his small body around. Soon, he was lifted into the air and light engulfed his being. A scene started to fill his view as a woman with long pigtails stands in his way. She slowly starts to turn as her face becomes clear.

“I’ve missed you so much,” She speaks with a sweet honey voice as her shiny green eyes follow the lead of her soft smile. The woman’s hand reaches out towards Wes as he reaches out to grasp her small one, but Soul grabs her hand instead. His father’s form phases through his body as a gasp escapes his lungs. The feeling of someone phasing through him was new, but the feelings of love, sorrow, and regret that filled him were not. The intensity of what his father felt brought Wes to his knees in mere seconds. For a moment, he understood what they were. The love shared between the two felt strong, almost unbreakable. Wes tried to catch his breath as he watched his father. Soul engulfed the smaller figure in a hug as he spun her around. Her laughs were hearty as they echoed in their small wonderland. The ground below them became green as flowers sprouted with grass and an entire field was formed in mere seconds. The blonde kissed Soul’s cheek as they slowed to a stop. They soon stood in a trance, as if afraid to look away from each other.

“I’ve missed you more Maka…” Soul whispered as tears fell from his dark red eyes. Their foreheads touched as he kissed her nose. Maka could only laugh as her husband cried, her small arms reached up to cup his face, removing the tears from his reddening cheeks. A small sniffle and giggle were heard before Maka was the one taking the lead. She grabbed his hands and placed them on her waist as they swayed offbeat to nothing. Her hands flew around his neck as they hugged and laughed, talking about everything and nothing all at once. Their steps changed tempo every other step, making Soul give a giddy grumble like a young boy. Taking a seat on the grass, Wes became engrossed in their relationship. As unbreakable as they seemed, something happened. Something happened to make her leave, which devastated Soul. Their dance continued as he stayed on the sidelines. Wes had never imagined that his father would be so happy… He needed to get Maka back, if not for himself, then for his father… The scene suddenly stopped as Maka stepped on his foot, causing them to fall and roll in the soft grass in a fit of laughter. Soul held her hand to his face as he kissed her pink knuckles. “I miss you so much…” Slowly, the grass below started to wilt as Soul sat up, leaning over Wes’s mother.

“I know.” Maka slipped out as she slowly sat up and leaned in, but before their lips met, Wes woke up in a cold sweat. He was laying in front of the mirror as if nothing had happened. Patting the ground, he felt the lack of grass, the lack of warmth, and the lack of a mother. Standing, he patted the dust of the floor off of him and snaked his way to the main hall. There, Soul was already at work, just as sorrowful as Wes remembered him to be. There was no sign of the man in Wes’s dream, or whatever it was. Walking forwards, Wes stopped at his father’s desk.

“Father, I-”

“We have nothing to talk about. I know you know the truth, but you are forbidden to act.” Soul started to write something down as he never once lifted his head to speak directly to Wes. “You shall act as the others do, her name is not allowed here and we shall not speak of this.”

“If not now, then when?” Wes questioned his father’s words as he walked forwards and placed his hands on Soul’s desk. “All you do is push me away, and this is a family matter. We need to talk. Now.” The quill in Soul’s hand snapped as he looked Wes in the eyes. 

“This is my home, _my_ house. My house, my rules. We have rules for a rea-”

“Is this what Mother would’ve wanted? Was she not following these rules? Would M-”

“Stop!” Wes was put in his place as Soul stood tall, hovering over Wes. “This is _my_ house and either you respect my rules, or you leave.”

“But-”  
  


“I said! You respect them, or you leave!” The two white-haired men stood, daring the other to move or make a sound. The souls of the damned wandered around and watched as they stood silently cursing each other. The silence only grew thicker as Wes took his leave first, spinning on his glowing heels as he grew angry. Cursing his father, he walked with a heavy breath as he conjured a plan. Soul took his seat and started to brood over his rebellious son. 

“Fine, if you want me to leave I will.” Wes’s proud voice echoed against the pillared walls as he slowly walked away in the direction of his room. 

“Go live in Asphodel for all I care.” Soul brushed his son off as the new souls started to line up, waiting to be evaluated. Standing still, Wes faced his father once again.

“Asphodel? Huh, would a God live in Asphodel?” His shoulders shook as he gave a shrugged laugh. Wes’s face soon churned into a serious scowl as his voice lost all sense of playfulness. “You must aim higher when you’re a God, Father. Further than Elysium! I’m going to live with Mother, in Greece.” His feet went from a small walk to a trot, to a sprint as he heard Soul’s chair grind against the cold, hard floor. 

“Greedy child!” Soul called out. “Just try to escape! A mere boy like you is unworthy of being a God!” The pitter-patter of Wes’s feet drowned out the anger in Soul’s voice as Wes flung the curtains to his room behind him. The walls shook from anger as his father’s voice carried in his head. Biting his nails, Wes paced around his room. He would leave this place. Wes would leave to find his mother, to make himself happy. And for his father… he was family. Soul had once been kind and caring to the younger Wes, but now was a different time. His love for his father stayed, but stayed weak and locked away. The booming voice of his father slowly faded as he recalled his mother. The scene in the mirror played out once more, as a soft voice called out to him. Looking around, no one stood in his room, but the familiar voice became louder. 

“I’ve missed you,” Wes spoke aloud to no one. He repeated the phrase over and over to himself, mimicking his mother’s tone. She spoke softly, almost silently in his head. Her silent chant repeated, engraving itself into his mind, staying there forever. She had spoken those words to his father, to Soul, yet the three words felt directed at him. It was meant for him, and he knew it. A soft knock stole Wes’s attention as he flinched, looking towards the entrance of his room. The chant came to a sudden halt, as only silence filled the room. Tsubaki stood tall. Her figure loomed closer, but soon many more familiar faces started to appear. His room was soon flooded with friends as Tsubaki placed a quiet pat on Wes’s small head. They conjured around him, all with different expressions on their faces. 

“Wes…” Tsubaki spoke as she faced the floor. “We have asked the Gods to listen to our pleas…” a long sigh escaped her mouth. “And they have answered.”

“They are willing to help!” Liz spoke out as Tsubaki gathered her words. “We told the Gods that you wanted to live with them on their mountain, and they have agreed to help get you to the surface!”The room burst into a cry of mixed emotions, but Wes stood alone. The bundles of noise broke out around him, but Wes still stood indifferent. People grabbed his shoulders to congratulate him, but others reached out to ask him if this was right.

“But… that’s not my goal anymore.” Wes broke his silence as the noise died down. Looking into Tsubaki’s eyes, his hand slowly rose to grip her arm. It was neither rough nor soft, but attention-seeking.

Tsubaki gave a small smile as she placed her hand over his. Pulling his hand off, she held him, dear, to her. “So, what do you want?” Reaching up, she cupped Wes’s face. “What is your new goal?”

“What do I want? I want…..” A pregnant silence surrounded him as he sat in thought. “I want my father to be happy. I want to be happy. I don’t want any more lies…” With a tint of determination in his eyes, he spoke his heart. “I want to bring my mother back. No matter what it takes. No matter how many times I die. I want to have a family built off of love, not off of lies.” A large hand ruffled his white hair as a large voice boomed through the room. 

“That’s the man I spar with.” Black Star said. “Never forget your goals, keep them close to your heart.” A large smile formed on his mouth as the room soon started to pass Wes around. The support from others was getting to him, and the encouragement fueled his goals. “It’s time we showed you somethin!” Black Star dragged Wes to his wall and punched it. 

“MY WALL!” Wes cried as the crowd laughed. 

“Do not worry Wes, Black Star knows what he’s doing,” Tsubaki spoke with a quiet voice, a grin creeping up on her face. “Long before your birth, when the titans walked these lands, the Gods came together and forged weapons.” Black Star chipped away the wall and continued to punch until the entire wall burst into crumbs. Then, something caught Wes’s attention. A large blade sat in wait of a user. The bright red shined in the natural lights of the underworld.

“The infernal arms…”  
  
“They were left here, away from the living. Never meant to see the overworld light again. Black Star was meant to put them away, where no one would go.”The trio walked into the new room. The green lights of the land continued to glow as five other weapons started to appear. “These are all high power weapons. Your skills are not ready for these, but soon.”

“You will die, Wes.” Kid’s feet slapped against the cold, dusty floor. “But when you die, keep going. You are the son of two Gods, the River Styx will always guide you back. Under your father’s orders, Liz, Patty, and I are destined to try and stop you every time you escape. We can not go against his words, as it is the law.” Kid held his hand out as Wes shook it. “So, we will not hold back, show us what you can do.” 

“The only person who sees her now is Crona. They are always busy, but they will always have time for you to shop. They will not take you around, but they will aid you.” Liz appeared by Kid’s side and Patty high-fived Kilik. "They tend to be very quiet and… depressing. But besides Soul and Blair, they're who M- your mother spent the most time with."

"They sell good fries!" Patty laughed. 

"But you don't even pay for them…" Liz sighed as she was reminded of all the past times Patty technically stole food that she had to pay for. 

"They sell fries?! And no one told me?" Kilik whined as he propped an elbow up on Wes's shoulder. "All they ever do is groan and glare at me!"

"Well, they're quiet but a good pit stop." Kid answered with a hand on his hip. "And as the God who manages death itself, you can’t catch a break." Patty ran her circles around the gang as Kid brought up an elephant in the room. “And as the God who manages death… will you aid Wes or fight him?”

“I’ll see what I can do, but let’s have our fun while we can!” Kilik gave his words before Wes walked away. He grabbed the sword as its cold metal stung his hands. Wes swung it a few times, feeling the weight of burden fall off his shoulders and the lightweight sword in his hands. “Deciding when people die is my job, so I’ll keep watch over you as long as I can.”

"Well, I don't think I'll need the help." A smug smile appeared as Wes swung at Kilik. "but, I do know how to have fun." Blocking the attack with his gloves, a thundering laugh boomed from Kilik. "A competition then?" The two stared each other down before laughter took both of them. Kilik released the blade of the sword as Wes threw it over his shoulder. 

"Ok boys break it up," Tsubaki sighed. "There's no need to kill each other before Wes even escapes. And Wes! The sword is not a toy! Don't play around with it!" The two let out a monotone ‘ooookay’ as Black Star made his way to another blocked-up wall as a group followed behind. Tsubaki directed Wes to a ledge that overviewed the entire land of Tartarus. The architecture was stunning, but always changing. “Do not try to memorize your paths, as each room changes its place every time. The only place that stays the same is the final stages. In this realm, the final room holds Kid, Liz, and Patty. You are immortal, you will not die forever. The river will always bring you back, so do not fear death, fear what happens if you do not face it.” Wes eyed the sword in his hand. “The weapons can only take you so far, it is the user who makes a change. Do not forget-” Tsubaki paused as a loud crash was heard from the other side of the room. 

“Did you pull me aside for this? I already know all of this. Or was it so I wouldn't have to see Black Star tearing down another one of my walls…” Wes asked as the two wandered their way over to the group.  
  


“It was not just Black Star… but maybe I did.”At the foot of the large doorway, everyone gathered as Wes held an excited look on his face. He made knowing glances at everyone as Patty pushed him out the doorway. 

“Just go! We’ll see you soon! So you better not die quick!” Patty waved goodbye as others joined in. “I’m not gonna let it go if you die before seeing us!” Soon, the group was yelling their “goodbye’s” and “see you soon’s”. Small tears left Tsubaki’s closed eyes. Her son was finally making steps towards his future by himself. 

“WES!” She yelled out, scaring many who surrounded her. “Bring Maka back!” Tsubaki screeched out in a raspy voice. The pitter-patter of Wes’s feet only increased as a shout of agreement was heard from afar. 

“So… you’ve finally gone and said it huh,” A cold voice spoke out from behind the group. Few turned around to look as many already knew who would be summoned. 

“The fates are never always right, you know this well Soul,” Kid spoke to the figure looming behind them. 

“Maybe not, but I’ll respect her wishes until the very end. No matter the cost,” Soul spun on his heel and left the group to decide their own fate, as he would too. 


	2. A running start

The yells were long gone as Wes reached the outside of his father’s home. A gate stood tall in front of him but soon opened with no warning. The designed gate opened to reveal the first room. A red light coated the floor as a glowing, stitched bolt hovered in place. Wes reached out and barely touched the bolt as a voice echoed behind him. “Not even going to greet me?” Wes jumped away from the weapon as his eyes matched the cold eyes of another, lense by glasses. “I know Soul doesn’t talk to us, but you must know who I am. Right?”

“Of course, Dr.Stein. God of war. Without you, my father would be jobless.” Wes gave a professional smile as Stein laughed at him. 

“Oh, your father would never teach you to speak like that huh. Must be the work of your mother Tsubaki.” With an awkward laugh from Wes, Stein ruffled his white locks. “She’s a very nice woman, despite having Soul as her partner.” retracting his hand, Wes got a good look at Stein. His circular glasses echoed the red and green light, but they could not hide the large scar across his face. The screw in his head ticked as Stein twisted it, creeping Wes out. 

“Well, I’m hoping to live with all of you now on Olympus.” Wes slithered his lies into Stein’s head as he gave a flattering smile. Sparks flew from the beauty of Wes’s face. “You know how my father can be… I just want to be free.” Stein held out a hand as Wes took it. 

“I understand… Soul has always been a stick in the mud. Now, here. I can aid you, as the rest of us will, but you must choose how we help you.” Wes listened as he went on about his and other god’s gifts, or boons. The cold skin of the older god held Wes’s warming skin. The god of war was not there, but he felt there. The god of war was real and was waiting for him at the surface. A small part of Wes felt bad, he was lying to his family. The rest of him… he knew what he had to do. Wes would bring Maka back. No matter who he hurt. No matter the cost. “Now, what would you like me to help you with?” Stein grabbed his bolt and held the larger flat side out to Wes. Gripping the stitched bolt from Stein’s hand, a surge of energy shocked up his arm. The bolt was no longer in his hands, and the red hue was gone. Looking around, Wes noticed that was alone. The red hue was missing, but Wes could still feel Stein.

Wandering forwards, he looked for others but was only met with numbskulls. The last enemy fell as a pink light shot down from above, and once again covered the room with a tint. Holding his sword up in defense, he noticed the patch inside the glowing pink light. This was another god. His fingers felt warm as they moved and touched the small patch. The warmth traveled up his arms to his face, as Lady Marie appeared. Her hands were on his face as she started cupping his cheeks. She smiled a large toothy grin. “It’s lovely to meet you!” Lady Marie kissed his cheek as she pulled back and stood tall. “I see you’ve met Stein! I hope he explained everything well because he does tend to be…. Difficult.” Her smile lit up the green room.

“No he was quite forward, I don’t have any questions,” Wes answered as he rubbed his cheek. Marie’s large hand rubbed Wes’s hair, messing his flat hair up as Stein did. She gave a final smile before waving as a surge of energy entered him. The light was gone as Wes gripped his sword. Marie’s voice echoed in his ear as she instructed him on what to do. Looking down, he noticed that his shadow had become pink. A blessing from Lady Marie. Room after room would come and more gods would join his aid. Sid, the god of the sea, offered him gems and gold as Jacqueline, goddess of the hunt, offered her extra strength. 

Wes climbed higher and higher until he saw a small shop set up before an unusual gate. Crona stood bent over, holding a giant sword as support. “Crona!” Wes called out. He dashed towards them until the sword moved on its own. The blade stopped him from coming too close to its user. “It’s good to see you again!” Wes attempted to keep a straight face as the large black sword drew back into its first position. Crona did not say anything, just looked away and grumbled. Buying only a few healing items, Wes waved his goodbye to a pondering Crona as he left to enter the next room. It was dusty and large as 4 pillars held the room together. Traps lay across the floor as a voice spoke up. A trio lay waiting in the room as Wes recognized them. 

“So you’ve finally come huh,” Kid asked. His one wing fluttered behind him. The Thompsons stood beside him as their shadows towered over Wes. Wes walked until he was face to face with the group. “Good job, but this may be where you stop for today.” Kid shook Wes’s hand as he spoke. He may be the first boss, but he was no monster. “But there’s always tomorrow.” Kid then flung backward as Wes replaced Kid’s previous position with the sword. 

Kid and Wes faced each other with their full force, clashing their weapons. The battle was long, with a low effort from Liz and Patty. They cheered from the side for both of their friends. Every shot Kid fired, Wes sliced down as Kid would block and deflect all of Wes’s swings. Soon, Wes found himself chasing Kid, trying to land a blow. Running with a strategy, Kid dashed away. He had been in this situation many times and always knew what roads to take. Slowing himself down, Kid allowed Wes to catch up, waiting for the time to strike. As Wes swung his sword up, Kid flipped his position. He turned and shot Wes right in the chest, bringing the white haired male to his knees. Wes tried to stand but failed every attempt to get up. The cheering came to an end as the battle slowed. The strength left his body as his energy was drained through the single shot. His chest burned, his spirit shined, but his body had taken one too many hits. Collapsing on the floor, Patty waved goodbye as his vision was blurred red and a warmth came over him. He was breathless as he swayed in the warmth he felt. It was pulling him along the stream, bringing him home. A sudden ache overtook him as he gasped for air and emerged from the blood pool back in the gates of hell. His father sat in front of him, down the hall in his iconic chair. Soul didn’t look up once as Wes walked forward. Before turning to his room, a sudden loud “PST” caught his attention. Looking over his shoulder, Black Star was begging Wes to talk to him. Wes walked with a trail of blood following him as Black Star grabbed his shoulders and shook him clean. 

“I see you’ve fought with Kid!!!” Black Star laughed and smacked Wes’s back. “And you’re back?? I trained you better than this!” 

“I know but it was his-”

“Wes, buddy let me tell you a secret.” Black Star interrupted Wes’s excuse as he grabbed the younger God to crouch with him as he whispered into his ear. “You need to hit him where it hurts. Where it REALLY hurts,” and with a proud grin he let Wes go, smacking him hard to push him away. With a small ‘shoo, shoo’ from Black Star, Wes headed back to his room in his second attempt to reach his mother. He grabbed the sword before he noticed the next weapon was open. The spear his father once used was watching him. The green metal begged to be used once again. He grabbed said weapon as if he were a small child again. Wes tested his spear and refused to miss a chance to learn a new form of war. Like the sword, it was light yet dealt heavy damage. It was strong and simple and had new moves to learn. Spinning the spear in his hands, he headed off once again to fight Kid.

The first room held a new god. A strange pair of glasses stood enlightened. Grabbing the glasses, a stoic man stood before him. Harvard, the God of lightning, aided him as he climbed his way up. A larger man named Free, the God of Wisdom, would aid his spear with deflection and had expressed his wish to meet Wes. The larger man soon went on a tangent about the other Gods, creating a drama between them all. He spoke badly of the others, and they appeared. Soon, a full group of Gods stood before Wes all fighting about useless ideals as a nymph named Eruka finally pulled Free away. Wes was almost left with nothing as the large man disappeared. Continuing on his path, Wes thought he was used to these large characters, he thought he had seen them all. But soon, a wine bottle appeared. A new God that he had never met. Nothing new… right? Wes grabbed the bottle, but a breaking sound shattered his ears as a large hand was placed on his shoulder. 

“You wanna come up here? HUH?” The man screamed. He seemed… drunk. “You think this shitty jail has any more room for children? We already have enough Gods to feed up here. If you join, what will I get?” Giriko pushed his finger against Wes’s forehead. “And why do you think you can come up here huh? With that father of yours?” Giriko took a swing of his wine bottle and started chugging whatever was in there. Wes watched as the bottle lowered. His eyes knew what to grab, but his head was heavy. Would this God hate him if he just snatched a bottle? “Don’t even get me started on your father!” Like Free, Giriko went on a tangent, but instead of some Olympian God stepping in, Wes himself stepped in. 

“Hey, that’s my father. I can't let you disrespect him, that’s my job,” Wes stood firm, as he believed in his words as Giriko only laughed. 

“You’re a pretty cocky kid, and I can hang with that,” Giriko then wiped whatever smile he had off his face. “But you’re way too young to tell me what to do.”

“And you’re way too old to be drunk every day, telling children how their parents are!” Wes shouted back as Giriko stuck his finger in Wes’s face again. 

“Ok listen here you little shit. As Giriko the God of wine, and a fun time, I-” Giriko was never able to finish his sentence as Wes gripped the bottle, taking in Giriko’s strength. Wes could hear Giriko’s tantrum from Tartarus but only continued on his way.

The rest of the way up to Kid was smooth. Wes had met all of the gods, and tried his best to avoid Giriko and Free. The others would grant him more power and goods as he finally reached Crona once again. “Good… morning night Crona,” Wes spoke as he once again made a purchase. 

“Ummm…” Crona let out. They weren’t much of a talker, so Wes waved his goodbye as he entered Kid’s battle once again. Upon entry, Liz and Patty were playing some card game as only Kid stood before him. 

“Welcome back! Good job on the speed there,” Kid crossed his arms as the laughs could be heard behind him. 

“Had a little help from Kim, you know how it is.” Wes shrugged as he readied for battle. Black Star may have told him to hit him where it really hurts,’ but Wes had no idea where that could be! Was it a physical spot or what? Wes stayed on the defense as Kid hacked away at the spear. Examining Kid, Wes noticed that Kid only had one wing. Well, Wes knew this already but never knew it as a weak spot. With Kid’s next attack, Wes used the two-pronged spear to catch Kid’s arm as he grabbed Kid’s wing. Wes attempted to pull Kid by his wing, but the look on Kid’s face stopped him. Kid removed his arm from the spear and stood still. There was gasping from Liz and Patty that further horrified Wes.

“Did he just touch his wing?” Liz asked her younger sister.

“YEA HE DID!” Patty laughed and screamed. “Ohhh this is gonna be good!!” 

“You know Wes,” Kid slowly took steps forward as Wes stepped backward. “I did like you,” A strong slash from Kid knocked the spear out of Wes’s hands. “But you aren’t going back today.” Suddenly, Black Star’s voice rang louder than before in Wes’s mind. 

“ THIS IS WHY YOU ONLY HAVE ONE WING!!” Wes yelled out as silence filled the room. Kid was shocked and fumbled until still as the sisters sat up. More silence followed and no one dared to say a word. Wes looked around for help and opened his mouth before a terrible shriek dulled the air. 

“IT IS NOT LIKE I ASKED FOR THIS!” Kid dropped to his knees as tears poured from his eyes. The sisters just laughed in the background as Wes stood dumbfounded. “I never asked to be born with one wing,” Kid continued. “I just wanted a normal life. And my hair!!!!!” pitiful cries continued to echo the room followed by a duo of laughs. “Don't even ask me about my hair! The Gods just hate me, I know it!”

“Um…” Wes started but Liz continued to laugh as she stood up. 

“You did good! Nice job Wes, bet you learned that from Black Star,” She gripped her stomach as she walked over and patted Wes’s back. “Well, next time let’s keep it a physical fight because Kid is weak in a verbal fight. Just look at him,” Liz then pointed to Kid, as Patty poked at him. “I’ll open that door this one time, ok? Next time you fight me and Patty!”

“I’m looking forward to it!” Wes said as the doors opened to a long stairway. This is the only time he’s seen a way up, and he would not let this time go to waste! He steadily climbed the stairs, never tiring from the steepness or number. Charging his way into the new lands, the lava burned his chilled skin. His feet felt at ease on the hot floor as he marched onwards. More Gods greeted him as he continued his path as new, stronger, enemies tried to stop him. Feeling a little defeated, Wes made his way through yet another door. The lava shot at him the moment it opened, burning his skin. The reds of the land twisted and turned as he stabbed a skeleton until it became dust. With shaky legs, Wes carried on and met Crona. A large sigh escaped his body as he grabbed the wall and slid down. 

"Oh thank Gods. I've never been so happy to see you Crona," taking a seat, Crona watched him closely. Wes was stuck in thought, wondering if Crona did meet Maka. His eyes wandered to and from the wall and Crona. His fingers fidgeted as he threw glances at Crona. Sweating from the heat of the land and Wes, Crona let out a grumble. 

“Uh… um……” Crona breathed out. “.... do you…. Maybe... need something?”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly bother you with my problems Crona… I’m sitting here healing,” Wes gave an immediate response, but still eyed the body. His knowing glances made Crona feel pity for the young prince of hell. 

“Oh well… I’ll sit with you,” and Crona did just that. Taking a seat, the black sword softly clanked against the hard floor. “... what’s wrong?”

“Well....” Wes’s hands continued to fidget as he looked Crona in their deep, dead eyes. “I heard you’re the only person who talks to… my mother.”

“Uh… we are not supposed to talk about that.”

“But I need to know Crona. I want a mother,” Wes’s eyes shined as the red glare off of them as Crona sat in awe. A small smile appeared on their face as Crona rubbed her hand on the sword’s handle. 

“You’re very pushy… and stubborn… like your mom,” Crona continued to look down and away from Wes as they spoke. “She’s doing just fine… but she doesn't know… that you… exist.” The spear fell from Wes’s hand and rattled against the floor. 

“Huh?” Wes gasped. “She what?”

“She never speaks of you, and it’s almost as if… she doesn’t know you’re alive.” With a smile on their face, Crona looked up. “But I’m sure that!... that… Wes?” They watched as the pale boy turned a pure white. “Wes? I’m so sorry! I!” Struggling to comfort the depressed prince, Crona later returned to their station and kept quiet. Their eyes stayed glued to Wes as he stayed deep in thought. His own mother is unaware that he was alive, and fighting against all odds to meet her. What if she left him for a reason? What if she never wanted him in the first place? Slowly standing, Wes grabbed his spear off the ground and left for the next boss: the bone hydra. 

He slowly walked forward, with a clouded mentality. He missed easy dodges and his attacks became weak as he was truly becoming his enemy. The large oversized bone hydra soon spat out at him, creating a burning feeling in Wes’s chest. The pain was unbearable, but he was unable to tell which pain it was. The floor below him became covered in hot magma. The heat of the floor flooded through his arms, and into his chest. His view became fuzzy as his body collapsed on the floor. The hard stone soon became soft as it filled his lungs once again, bringing him back down into the house of hell. Even after being brought back, Wes lingered in the pool of blood. The sting in his chest and the lack of breath were something Wes felt he needed. Floating alone in the pool, a hand reached out to him. 

“I haven't even seen you on the battlefield, are you already giving up?” The thick glove shook Wes clean and patted his head. Kilik had a sad look on his face. But of course, he did, Kilik was the one who would always bring him back home. Wes stayed silent as Kilik dried the blood off of him. “Two deaths and you’re done? I thought you were better than that,” Kilik laughed to himself. Tossing the towel on the floor, he crossed his arms. “What's wrong?”

“She doesn't know I’m here.” Wes cupped his face in his hands. “Or she doesn’t care that I’m here, and won't acknowledge that she left me here.” Falling to his knees, Wes crumpled himself up into a small ball. “What if Mother doesn’t want to see me? And I’m doing this for nothing? What if she shuns me and tells me to go back?”

“Well, have you reached her yet?” Kilik squatted down and placed his large glove on Wes’s back. 

“No, but-”

“Then how do you know?” Wes looked up as Kilik crossed his arms. “How do you know she doesn't want to see you? I’m not letting you stoop down and stop until we see results. Look how pitiful you are, do you really not want to meet her?”

“I do! I want to meet her!” Wes yelled. A few spirits gathered up and watched on the sidelines. 

“Then why are you acting like a child at the foot of your father’s home? Don’t you want to grow up?” Kilik stood first and pulled Wes to his feet. “Don’t be a quitter, do everything till the end,” Wes looked around. He really was throwing a tantrum in his father’s doorway like a child. “If she does not want to see you, make her see you. Be Black Star, make a scene! Do whatever it takes!” Wes ran his hands over his face before smacking himself back into shape. His embarrassed face would be on the walls for weeks, and it drove him further to leave this place.

“Whatever it takes!” Wes yelled before he dashed away to his room for another attempt as Kilik cheered him on. Entering his room, he walked past the large mirror. It reflected him, but a different him. A younger Wes stood in the mirror, startling the older one. Looking closer, Wes realized it wasn’t him at all. Two blood-red eyes stared back, as the gray skin engulfed the black background. The smaller figure smiled at him as the boy’s hands left the cold surface of the mirror and grabbed Wes once again. Back inside the mirror, the young boy led Wes down the unseen twists and turns of the darkness, leaving him in another open space. “Why d-” Wes questioned as he looked down at the younger boy, to see that he was gone. Looking around, Wes saw nothing but darkness. He ran forwards looking for another person but found nothing, not even an exit. He felt like he was wandering in circles. As if he was on a stage, a large light shined from above. It lit up a familiar face. Maka sat in the light creating a flower crown. She threaded the flowers together into a pattern of pinks and blues. She added more and more until a voice called out to her. His father came into light and sat beside her. 

“You know I can’t wear them,” Soul grumbled as he watched Maka make him a flower crown. 

“Cant? Or dont want to?” Maka giggled as she placed the finished crown on Soul’s head. It sat there, perfectly pretty as Soul gave a small blush. Looking in the opposite direction, the flowers slowly started to wilt. 

“Cant,” His father said with a sturdy tone. “They just wilt. I don’t know why you put so much effort into something you know will just die.”

“Said like a true God of the dead!” Maka laughed as she started on a new crown. These new flowers were a deep red, and Wes felt as if they were familiar. She continued to string together flowers as she ignored Soul’s pleads for her to stop. Growing irritated, Soul grasped Maka’s hand. “Why are you always like this?” Maka asked with a small smile and a cocked brow. “I do this because I can! And I will continue to make you things because… I like you.” Soul became flushed as Maka rolled her eyes and continued to make her flower crown. “You act like this is new, but we’ve been dating for what? Five years now?”

“Human years are irrelevant!” Soul pushed out as he struggled to sit still. 

“We’ve known each other for a long time, Soul. And you’re always showing me new things and giving me items, so why can’t I give you things?” Maka’s hands came to a halt as she became serious. “Is it not okay for me to give you things?”

“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT,” Soul pleaded with a sorrowful-looking Maka. Wes just sat there, taking the scene in. Who knew his stoic father could be so awkward. “I’d like to keep everything you give me, but everything I gain will die. And I don't want your hard work to go to waste…” Soul and Maka faced each other with silence filling up the air. Suddenly, Maka slapped Soul’s cheeks with both of her hands. She kept her weapons there, holding Soul’s face as Wes just laughed. 

“YOU’RE SO STUPID!” Maka yelped. “I make these because I can! I’ve been saying it all along! Don’t give up on a small problem!” Maka reached down to grab the red crown as she fixed it on Soul’s head. “You just have to find a solution!”

“Pomegranate?” Soul softly grabbed the flowers from his head. “Where did- how- WHO LET YOU INTO THE UNDERWORLD?”Soul panicked as Maka forced the crown back on his head. 

“It doesn’t matter!” Maka roared as she ruffled Soul’s already messy hair. The two laughed and shared small talk as a small tugging was felt on Wes’s robes. Looking behind him, a large hand grabbed his body as he was pulled away and spat out of the mirror.

Maka spoke about not minding the small problems… and finding the solutions… Was her solution leaving him behind? The sudden depressing retaliation overwhelmed him once again as he struggled to find reason in another attempt. Maka had fought against all odds, knew who his father was, and was stubborn. Wes slowly stood and wandered his room. Maka was headstrong, she was charming, and- she is. Maka is headstrong and charming. She is stubborn and fun. Wes needed to meet her, and if her choice is to run away, he’d make her listen. No matter the cost. 

Dashing into the weapon room a shine caught his eyes. The third weapon was unlocked as Wes snatched it, taking no thought of what it was or how to use it. The large shield shimmered as Wes put it to use tossing it, smashing it, and swinging it. Defeating Liz with a dramatic death from a chipped nail, Wes continued onwards to find the Bone hydra. Wes would pass Crona a few times on his escape attempt and they stayed silent. Crona would always groan as Wes greeted them. Wes stood dumbfounded as he aimlessly beat down the skeletons around him. Crona seemed more uncomfortable this time around, and he could only assume that Crona felt bad. Stopping once again before the Bone Hydra, Wes tugged on Crona’s clothes. “...Chat with me?” He asked as he sat down. Wes waited for them to take a seat, but silence only followed. Not knowing what to do, Wes attempted to stand back up as Crona fell and took a seat. They squirmed in their spot under Wes’s eyes. 

“Wes…. I’m really really sorry I shouldn’t have said that I really should-”

“It’s okay,” Wes smiled. Scratching the back of his head, Wes just sighed. “You didn’t mean anything, you didn't know. But, I will meet Maka, even if she doesn’t remember me. I’ll make her listen, y’know?” 

“... aha!” Crona giggled weirdly. “You’re really just like her… your mother… that is,” Wes finally saw Crona open up, and it was heartwarming. He stood back up and offered a hand to Crona. Pulling the darker figure up, the younger god hugged Crona. 

“That makes me glad,” Wes laughed. “I had thought the only thing that tied me to her was my stupid eye!” Wes waved goodbye as he headed off to fight the Bone Hydra. Crona waved goodbye to Wes’s back as the large gates opened. The large skeletal snake slithered out from the hot lava as Wes readied the large shield in his hands. The shield held its original purpose of protection but each smash of the shield dealt hard damage. Soon, the large bone hydra screeched out as mini skeletal snakes slithered about. Keeping their bottom halves in the molten rock, they spewed and shot at Wes. He quickly deflected their attacks as the smaller ones dropped in numbers. At last, the large mother hydra was left standing. With a long fight between offense and defense, Wes pursued the Bone Hydra with a strong smash aided by Stein. Thanking the Gods, Wes collected his prizes and left for the next level of the underground.

The further Wes moved forward the cooler the air became. The lava pits were long gone as it was replaced with crisp clean air. The streams were replaced with clouds as it seemed like a wonderful place to lounge around. There was a soft feeling under his feet, but Wes had no name for it. Stepping forwards, the gates opened once again letting Wes go on. His eyes wandered around the chamber as the nice soft greens and blues cooled his mind. Wes barely felt tired as he cut through the crowds of enemies and charged into the next room. Wiping some dirt off his hands, the young prince soon noticed the overpowering feeling in the room. 

“Ready?” Kilik asked as Wes was pulled in to be ruffled once again. Wes broke out of his embrace as the men started forming. “Good luck trying to out kill the God of death itself!” Kilik grinned as he soon slammed his fist into the closest being. 

“I’m not going to lose,” Wes chimed in as they battled their way to the next room. The many many waves of mobs seemed endless, but as Kilik landed his last blow, the last soldier fell. 

Standing a single kill below Kilik, Wes put his hands on his knees. He was tired out from running around as Kilik soon revealed that he had a secret. The God could hover! And Kilik never once told him about it! Wes attempted to catch his breath as the hovering God only sighed. “Sorry, dude! My win! Now… what shall I make you do as punishment?” A shine in Kilik’s eyes chilled Wes. A punishment?

“Um… I don’t have anything on me or anything you’d want anyway,” Wes pleaded as he suddenly had more than shortness of breath. 

“I want you to…” Dramatically placing a hand to his chin, Kilik hovered in circles. “To bring your mother back and to be happy. That’s what I want. To see you and her happy again.” The serious tone was created and had no escape route. Surprise painted Wes’s face as Kilik simply smiled. 

“Are you sure?” Wes questioned the older God as not many seemed to be on his side. 

“You three deserve it, and who knows. Might just get a raise!” Kilik threw Wes a fruit as he left with a cloud of green. The ripe pomegranate was burst open as the seeds poured out. Wes popped a few in his mouth as he recalled the pomegranate flowers from the mirror. Sitting in silence with his snack, Wes enjoyed the quiet life in Elysium. 

  
  


Hours to days could have passed and Wes wouldn't have noticed. The forever flowing clouds charmed him into a safe place, but not a place for him. Wes lived for the thrill of scaring his father and defying him. Wes needed to take a moment to feel the… whatever this green-blue stuff on the floor was. Wes finally sat up and dug a small hole. He planted the seeds from the pomegranate and moved on to fulfill his and Kilik’s wish. 


	3. A common enemy

The shield still felt new in his hands as Wes entered another chamber. A little hurt from the soul catchers, Wes didn’t notice the blonde in front of him until it was too late. A large blow from above came as Wes had little time to react. He sloppily blocked the falling foot from above with the trusted shield as a new form appeared in front of him. “Nice reaction speed, Wes.” Her foot slid off of the shield and onto the floor. She wandered in the chamber as if she had not just taken the hard metal to her ankle. Looking up from behind the shield, a blond woman with snake eyes watched Wes like prey. “Oops! Do you prefer Prince Wes?”

“No, just Wes is fine…” Wary of the person, the prince kept his shield tight. He would not die here, not when he’s come so far. The blond twisted the braid that sat on her chest as she searched the gates.

“I think we know what happens next here, don't we?” The lady asked as her snake eyes pierced Wes once again. Sweat rolled down his face as he became nervous. “Not good around women?” the snake woman laughed as she playfully danced her way towards him.

“Just get this over with. If we aren't here to fight… what do you want?”

“Sharp and smart like your mother. Your real mother, that is,” Medusa placed her hand on the cold shield as she pushed it lower, allowing herself to fully examine Wes’s face. “Your false mother, Tsubaki, was always kind but was never the brightest of the bunch. Not when she chose to befriend that fallen warrior.”

“Stop wasting time talking about things you don’t know about. Just get to the point, what do you want?” 

“We have a mommy’s boy huh!” With a loud cackle to herself, Medusa planned her next move. “I want to make a deal,” the snake woman said in a low whisper. 

“Why do you know about her?” Wes demanded an answer as he grabbed Medusa’s hand. 

“She was well-loved by most, despite her rotten attitude and rude speech. Maka never liked me, and has forsaken my sister and me to work eternally!” Medusa let out a few tears as she dramatically posed. “I just want to trade! I’ll let you win every time if you destroy the contract…”

“What contract?” Wes lowered his shield. Not fighting an enemy would help him dramatically, but what cost? “If you signed a contract then that means you agreed to something… What did you agree to?” Medusa only watched Wes with sore eyes. 

“It’s a yes or no boy, just say yes,” A slight change in attitude surprised the younger boy. “You’re not the only one who has the Gods on their side,” Medusa inched closer to him and spoke, “just saying yes will make living easier for both of us.” Quickly slashing with his shield, Wes slashed Medusa across her stomach which opened a small cut. 

“If you’re not willing to tell me what contract, I’m not willing to help,” Wes started, staying hidden behind his shield. Medusa grew irritated as Wes had the stubborn, ‘need to know-it-all’, personality like his mother. The look in her eyes chilled Wes as she just sighed. 

“Well, I’ll just have to see you on stage then huh?” Medusa walked towards the large gate and waited for it to lift. As if on command, the giant doors lifted as she walked out of the chamber. Wes stood all alone, waiting to see if anything happened next. He let moments pass, but nothing happened as the gate slowly lowered and shut itself. Confused, Wes inched towards the door as a gift from Stein fell from the sky. 

“Best stay away from her and her sister,” Stein pushed his glasses up as he gave a peace sign. “The witches are known for destruction and were known for their psychological torture. I would say the gods are safe from them but…” The gray-haired man twisted the bolt in his head once again. “No one is safe. The only thing holding them here is, well, death. Death and the contract, so don’t go making deals with them. Stay safe as some Gods will work with her purely for fun.”

“Okay… but what was the contract?” Wes asked as he shook hands with Stein, accepting his gift. Stein just smiled as he disappeared with a poof of air. The said contract was soon forgotten as Wes climbed his way to the top once again. The snake woman was clawing in the back of his mind, as he now knew who the floor’s boss was. As the pink butterflies of the soul catcher came to their end, the final gate opened. Crona was nowhere to be seen, which was strange considering he was about to face the final room. They were normally around to aid him, with more gifts or with food. Wes steadily walked towards the doors, awaiting the beasts behind it. The walls shook as rocks and pebbles slowly fell out of place, revealing a small clearing with spirits of the dead cheering and watching from their seats. The entire room was decorated with spiders and snakes as the crowds chanted ‘Gorgons’ over and over. Wes was overwhelmed and barely noticed the two women in front of him. Medusa was sitting on a large black arrow as the other sat on a web. 

“You should’ve just agreed to help us,” the one in the web slipped out. “Now you make us work? We could’ve just let you walk away,” The disappointment in her voice was nothing serious, as Wes had the god of the underworld as a father. Wes shrugged as he sat in waiting. 

“I’ll just have to walk myself out then,” Wes spoke to himself as he held a small wound on his side. He knew he wouldn’t win this time as he was heavily injured from before, but Wes would make it out to see Maka. No matter the cost. 

Medusa was the first to attack, making herself fly at high speeds towards him. She hit the shield over and over, waiting for an opening as the other Gorgon sat in waiting. The shield let up slightly as Medusa took the chance to strike. With a strong elbow, the shield was temporarily knocked out of Wes’s hands and chimed against the hard floor. The crowd roared as he fell to the floor. Medusa inched closer ready to devour him, but Wes had a different idea. He ran towards the shield and started to dive, but once his hands reached the shield a sudden white string attached itself to it. The shield was pulled along with Wes to the lady in black. Wes was soon shot with many strings as they wrapped around his body. They became tighter and tighter until he could no longer feel his body as he slowly passed out, and was returned to the familiar home he grew in. 

His body felt heavy as hands wrapped around him. Deep in the blood, a voice called out to him. The fingers burned against his skin as he was dragged off to bed. He lay unconscious as Tsubaki watched over him with care. She stayed at the foot of his bed as Wes dreamed of being far away. He dreamt of the bright red sky with birds flying overhead, with bright greens all around, and foods he had never seen. A blonde was tending a small garden as she laughed at his horrible jokes while she tended to whatever these green leaves were as he smiled back. 

Hours had passed and Tsubaki gathered an audience as she cared for Wes. Kid and Liz had joined her as Back Star guarded the door against nothing. The silver-haired child of a god finally opened his eyes after hours of rest surrounded by those who he loves. “Welcome back Wes,” Kid took a seat net to Tsubaki as he spoke. “Good job reaching the Gorgons.”

“I can’t wait to get back up there,” Wes balled his hands into fists just thinking of the unfair match. “It’s make a deal or die to them, I can't wait to win.” Wes ruffled his hair of whatever dried blood there was as all the eyes in the room watched him.

“... they what?” Liz’s face grew scared as she grasped Wes’s arm. 

“They want me to destroy some contract, and if I do they let me pass by,” He rubbed the back of his head and eyed the worried faces. “What is the contract even about?”

“They agreed to stop talking to Crona and to stay in Elysium if we gave them a luxury life in the underworld,” Soul answered as his hot feet pitter-pattered closer to Wes’s bed. “They’ve followed it since they died.” Soul kneeled next to Wes’s bed, crossing his arms and laying his head down. “I know we have our differences, but listen just once. Don’t make a deal with them. No matter what they will say or give you. That is a direct order to everyone.”

“Ok. I’ll keep small talk to a minimum,” Wes answered. The young prince had never seen the top of his father’s head… it felt strange. Wes followed what Maka did in his visions. His small hand reached out and ruffled Soul’s already messy hair with a smile. The room held their breath as Wes let out a small laugh. The father-son tension they normally shared was gone for a second, and they could enjoy each other’s company. 

“Ok, enough,” Soul commanded as he stood. Soul’s large hand did the same to Wes’s head as the older Gog gave a grumble. “You’re over a thousand years too young to be petting me,” Soul then stood and walked to the doorway. “And keep what I said in mind. Stop trying to escape, and don’t talk to the Gorgons.”

“Sorry, I never agreed to all of that. I’m bringing Mom back, for both of us,” No one besides Wes or Soul dared to talk as Soul left the room, not wanting to start another fight. Wes snuck off his bed and whispered his thanks to those in the room as he made his exit for another escape. 

Ox skedaddled in as Tsubaki made Wes’s bed. “Was it okay?” The god of sleep asked as the gang gathered together. 

“It was perfect, thank you Ox.” The dark-haired woman pulled the blanket over and smoothed it out.

“Why did you want me to make him sleep in the first place? I mean, I’m all for helping a pretty lady out but-”

“He’s overworking himself out there,” Kid bit his nail as he was reminded of the constant flow of enemies. “Wes has already beat us and has faced one of the final chambers before he reaches… her. His body is still that of a young God, he’s only a child to all of us,” Kid grasped his arm as he worried over Wes.

“But he’s all we have left,” Black Star dusted his robes off as he left and went back to his post. Everyone slowly started to leave the room as Tsubaki and Ox were left alone.

“Was it a good dream?” Tsubaki asked as she stood next to Ox, making their way back to the main hall. 

“Yea, it was a very nice dream.” Ox left the room. Tsubaki stood alone as she cheered for her foster son, hoping for him to achieve his goal.

Wes ran as fast as he could with his new weapon, clearing as many mobs and creatures he could as fast as he could. He reached Patty in record time as the door slowly lifted. Walking inside the familiar chamber, Patty stood alone. “Hey hey! Are you ready???” Patty asked with her signature spunky voice. She stood atop papyrus papers that had been dyed many colors. “Come beat me! Cmon! Hurry hurry!” the short-haired girl ran in circles as Wes skipped his way towards her. “Origami… fight! Give it your best shot! My ninja stars are top tier,” She quickly took a seat and pulled Wes along with her. The papers were folded and torn into shapes and patterns until a large bear was made. “Grrrowl!! Aha! Look at its face!” Wes struggled with his design as the horns and necks became mixed. 

“I made a hydra!” Wes laughed as he shoved his sorry excuse for origami into the bear. The twisted paper stood stiff as Patty laughed along with him. She then started on another creation as Wes followed suit. A giraffe, dog, and whale joined Patty’s fighting team as a broken cat, a torn seal, and a weeping horse found their way to Wes’s team. They both continued to create until the paper was all gone. They lined their… animals up ready to fight as Patty lunged forwards. 

“Take… that?” Patty was confused as the papers didn’t crunch under her hard headlock. “Huh? I cant attack your animals?”

“That's because they're already crumpled,” Wes groaned. He truly was horrible with his hands. He grabbed one of Patty’s animals and decided not to destroy it. It would be a waste to destroy the perfect replica of whatever animal this was. He held the long-necked paper animal in his hand as Patty tackled him. 

“Then I’ll have to kill you!” She giggled as Wes blocked, only to feel nothing attack him. The yellow animal in his hands was no more as it crumpled under Patty’s strong grip. She made her way through her detailed animals, slowly killing them one by one. Soon, Wes stood beside his animal army as Patty lay fatigued in the paper graveyard. 

“Are you okay?” Wes questioned as he walked over to Patty. 

“You… win. Teach me your ways!” Patty gasped for air as she held the crumpled paper to her chest. “Now… hurry up and go! Before I make a dragon!” Patty attempted to sit up, but the gasping took all of the remaining energy out of her as the door behind opened. Grabbing his bow, Wes thanked Patty as he continued up to the final floors. 

The hot lands of Asphodel warmed Wes up and carried him along to the Bone hydra. With his newly learned skills, Wes learned how to shoot multiple arrows at once as he also learned how to have seeking arrows. Many Gods had blessed his bow and his body, making Wes confident in his skills. The bone hydras were easy as Wes had a pillar for protection and his heart-seeking bow. Each arrow he shot would seek an enemy and attack, making work easier for Wes. As Wes shot a single arrow, the Bone Hydra fell as its bones cracked and it sank back into the scorching lava that surrounded them. Another prize was dropped for Wes, this time some coin for him to spend at Crona’s stalls. 

Walking up the many stairs once again, Wes pondered on the Gorgons. Their figures burned the back of his eyes as he crawled chamber to chamber, defeating soul catchers and soldiers. The sisters were willing to give up their luxury to create mischief, and Wes had to stay safe. Not only for him but for his friends and family. Who knows what they could be scheming. The next door opened to Medusa once again. Wes stayed on guard and waited for the snake woman to speak. “Is that any way to greet your elder?” She asked with a honey voice. Wes kept his arrow on her as she danced her way around him. “Did you change your mind? Do you-” Wes released his hand, shooting Medusa in the gut. “Oh no, why would you do that? You hurt my feelings,” The sorrow in her words was nowhere to be seen in her tone. She spoke as if ready to kill. She stood still as the arrow disappeared into her body, doing further damage. Her face hadn’t changed since he shot her, and neither dared to move. They were making no advancements, so Wes shot multiple arrows at once. Sets of 3 arrows were continuously shot as Medusa couldn’t dodge them all. Breaking some arrows with her sword, she advanced forwards as Wes continued to shoot. She came dangerously close as Wes slashed his bow like a sword. Hitting her side, Medusa flew back a small bit before she caught her balance. 

“I have no intentions of making a deal with you,” Wes spewed as he readied his bow once again. Three arrows sat in waiting as Medusa only smiled and shrugged. 

“Your loss then,” Medusa then turned around as if nothing had happened and walked through the opening gate. Wes walked forwards and through the doors to see Kilik waiting. 

“Good job making it this far squirt,” Kilik crossed his arms and took a seat. “I’ve already cleaned the room out, so take a seat,” The larger male stuck his bare feet into the clouds then ran like water as Wes followed close behind.

“It’s not your win when I don't have a chance,” Wes stated as Kilik just gave a sharp exhale. 

“Well, I thought I’d give you a break as I just found out I could aid you this way…” Placing a hand on Wes, Kilik’s palm grew green as Wes became stronger. “As the God of death, I was allowed to give you multiple lives. You now have three times to die before you return home-”

“YOU’RE NOW TELLING ME?” Wes boomed and startled Kilik. 

“I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS ALLOWED TO DO IT!” Kilik shouted back. They started to wrestle as Wes cooled his anger. The silver-haired boy attempted to throw Kilik into the river but had forgotten that the God of death can float. Hovering above, Wes lost his balance and fell into the river, but was carried in the opposite direction. “Now listen to this once! I’m not repeating myself! As an apology, I’ll guide you to the Gorgons, so you better put those lives to use.” The clouds fought against Wes as he was pulled through the river, and truly was placed before the Gorgon sisters. Kilik left just as soon as he appeared leaving Wes alone once again. With a hand over his chest, Wes charged into the final room. 

He flung into the room with an arrow ready to shoot. A sudden web was spat at him as Wes deflected it with the power of Free, bouncing the bow back as it hit Medusa. “This is so stupid! This is the exact reason you attack after I die!” Medusa was stuck in the middle of a scoff as Wes charged forwards. He was inches away from Medusa when he shot a heart-seeking arrow straight through her chest, heavily injuring her. With a loud gasp from the crowd, Medusa only chuckled. 

“You really should just die and never come back, both of you deserve to disappear,” The older sister said as she fanned herself.

“It’s not my fault you can’t aim,” Medusa said under her breath as she placed a hand above and called for the help of a God. “And you like Free? Because… I do too,” Suddenly, Free was summoned and aided Medusa. He smirked as Medusa devoured the power she gained. The arrow Wes shot were now deflected, and slashes of the bow were slowed almost to a stop. There was a flaw tho, as not all arrows were deflected and if close enough, the arrows would hit. Wes stayed on the defense until an opening appeared. Slowly but surely, Medusa was growing weaker and tired. Her swings became slower but her defense was still high. She took a step back to gather her strength as The spider aimed and shot towards him. Wes deflected the shot once again, causing the duo to become angrier. “Why do you keep shooting?”

“Because you’re not making any progress!” The black-haired woman yelled back. 

“This is why we can’t work together Arachne!” The two started to bicker once more as Wes slyly crept towards medusa. He shot three arrows into her chest, and it was too quick for her to dodge. The arrows seeped inside her body as she grew more tired. Her mind was going blank as Wes slashed her once again with his bow. Arachne finally hopped off her web and swiped at Wes, defending her annoying smaller sibling. 

“Maybe if you took a moment to think Medusa we wouldn’t have to be fighting right now,” Arachne successfully attached a web to Wes’s bow and brought him forwards. As she kicked Wes away, her heels dug into his side, causing pain throughout his body. A purple figure stood behind Arachne as the pain continued to throb. 

“It feels good; finally being able to hit you,” Giriko growled. Even if Giriko didn’t directly hit Wes, his powers were inside of him. The pain slowly stopped after a minute as Wes ran around, refusing to be hit once again. Giriko sat above in the crowd as he watched along with the spirits. He cheered for Arachne as Wes ran around, trying to finish off Medusa. She sat hidden behind Arachne as she shot her webs out. They started to create a web as Wes cut the strings. Reflecting a shot of the web, it backfired as Arachne dodged and let it hit Medusa. 

“Arachne!” Medusa was inflicted with pain as she clutched the area where the arrows hit. 

“Maybe you should move out of the way!” The two started to bicker once again as Wes shot a seeking arrow, hitting Medusa once again. She kneeled as the throbbing poison pain and seeking arrows merged into one. With one final shot from afar, Medusa fell first. 

“One down, one to go,” an announcer cheered as the actual crowd sat silently. The rest of the fight was a fight on defense from Wes. The poison shots did not affect Arachne, no matter how many she touched. Giriko was on the edge of his seat, cheering on his lady as she attempted to corner Wes. Running out of ideas, the white-haired boy decided to stop running. Copying Kid, Wes slowed down and waited for Arachne to attack. Her hand started to rise as she held it over her head, and Wes aimed. Shooting an arrow into her body, Arachne became startled. She stumbled as Wes knocked her down with the hard bow to her ankles. 

“You really think you can fix this? All of these issues are not for a child,” Arachne grabbed the bow as he shot a final shot into her. 

“Kid was a harder fight, and a better ally than you will ever be,” With a yell, Arachne was no more. Wes gripped the few cuts he gained from the fight and continued his way to the final pathway to Greece. The crowd cheered and Wes could hear the angry yells of Giriko, even after the doors closed. 

The throbbing pain soon came to an end and never returned. Wes entered the final area as Blair waited for him. Blair guarded the pathway, but looks can be deceiving. From a small black cat to an oversized panther, Blair did a good job at keeping people in. Wes walked up to Blair and patted her small head. In her small form, she was a classic black cat. Cute fluffy fur, big yellow eyes, and long white whiskers sat on her face. Wes sat on the floor as Blair licked his cuts. The sting from her tongue was nothing compared to what he put himself through. “Are you going to kill me too?” Wes joked as he pets Blair until she purred. 

“No, I don’t want to stop you,” Blair said over her purr. Wes laughed before he realized. Did Blair just speak? Did she just… agree to not fight him? “I also want Maka back, I miss her pets,” flipping over, Blair exposed her stomach.

“You can… talk?” Wes was slightly startled as he stumbled back. 

“Yes? We all can talk, people just don’t ask,” Blair licked her paw and scratched her ear, “Only Maka asked me, no one else knows I can talk,” She mewed. “Well, you know now. I’ve known Soul since I was born, but I’ve never spoken to him!”

“Only Maka?” Wes sat still as Blair crawled into his lap. “Why is she the only one?” He gently stroked her fur.

“Because she was cute! And because she married Soul, have to protect the kittens, y’know?” She flipped back onto her back once again asking to be pet. “Her pigtails were super soft, and She would let me lay in her hair. Her eyes were super green! And she would blend into the green grass in Greece,” Her whiskers tingled as she recalled the day she escaped into Greece.

“Is she beautiful?” Wes asked as his hand patted her stomach.

“Stunning. She never believed it though, and would always laugh when Soul would compliment her! Which was rare! Your father always needed help doing simple tasks like flirting, and never knew how to comfort Maka. Not even when… you had your accident.”

“My accident?” Wes asked as he came to a halt. “What accident was I in?”

“Do you not know? You were originally born a stillborn. You didn’t move and everyone panicked. Maka left the very next day and only left a letter. You’d think she would take a day to rest but, no. She never lets herself rest and wouldn’t let anyone help her,” 

“I was… huh?” Scrubbing his head, Wes tried hard to take in all of this information. “So… Maka… She didn’t leave because of me?”

“Oh dear no! Not at all! She doesn’t even know you’re still alive! If she did, she would’ve never left you!”

“Then why did she leave? Who helped me? Why didn’t Soul stop her? Why- why did no one do anything?” Wes was filled to the brim with questions as Blair showed no panic. 

“Tsubaki was the one to heal you. It took three days to fully heal you, and Tsubaki rested for a week to recover. The fates destined Soul to be loveless and childless, so anything that he received, he had no faith in. Soul didn’t stop Maka because, well. At first, he also believed it was best for her to move on from the underworld but it soon developed into him respecting her wishes. Soul wants to help Maka in the very last way he can, and if that means stopping you from meeting her, he’ll do exactly that,” She lay still in Wes’s lap as he gathered his thoughts. “You really shouldn’t be hearing this from me, so go on. Behind the final doors is Soul himself, waiting for you to come. Ask him about her, she was his wife,” Blair tried to lighten the mood and prepared Wes for the fight beyond the doors. Grabbing Blair, Wes stood and continued his way forwards. Blair hopped up and stood on his shoulders as the doors slowly opened. His father was truly standing in front of him. Facing the opposite direction, Soul noticed the second soul with Wes. 

“Blair, I always knew you couldn’t fight him,” Soul sighed. He massaged his temples as Wes walked closer. “And you… why can’t you ever listen?” 

“I do! I didn’t agree to help the Gorgons… and-”

“But you don’t listen to anything else. Why can’t you just sit down in the underworld? Away from her?” Soul pounded his scythe into the floor. “Why can’t you respect her final wishes?”

“Because she’s not here. She doesn’t know I’m alive, right? Would she come back if she knew?” Wes interrogated his father, irritating the older God. 

“She wishes to be away, no matter if you are in her life or not. And I will make sure she will stay safe, even if that means away from us,” burning his cape, Soul turned around and slashed towards his son. Wes ducked as he shot towards Soul. 

“Is it so bad to wish to be in her life?” Wes shouted as he shot his father. “Is it bad to want to see her in person? To feel her warmth for me?” With a roll, Soul’s scythe missed Wes’s head by a few inches. “Can I not see my own mother outside of a dream?”

“No, you can’t. If she wants to be alone, let her act on her own. We have brought her enough misfortune. She doesn’t… need us. She is better on her own,” With a gust of wind, Soul went invisible as the only signs were his soft footprints against the hard cold snow. Dashing out of his father’s reach, Wes dodged a large swing as Blair held tight to Wes’s hair.

“You’re really not helping Blair!” Wes wept out as he was grazed by his father’s weapon. The small cut seemed to not close, bleeding and dripping onto the snow. His blood stained the white snow bright red as Blair only stood on Wes’s shoulders. Another attack came crashing down as Wes used his shield to block it. His body stood strong as he pushed the scythe up and quickly dashed with the power of Kim aiding him.

“Is this what she wanted?” Wes yelled back at his father. “Would M-”

“Your mother is not here right now, and I am an adult. I will do what it takes to keep her safe!” Going invisible once again, Soul took softer steps to confuse the young prince. The snow would not crack unless he took heavy steps as if attacking. Wes struggled as he stood on edge with his bow ready to shoot. Becoming visible once again, Soul appeared behind his son and slashed his body. The large cut tore from the top of his chest to the opposite hit. Blood fell from his body like orange leaves fell from trees. Refusing to fail, Wes laughed at his body. 

“We match now, see?” Wes asked as he trailed the large cut on his chest. “Like father… like son.”

“We are nothing alike,” Soul stated. It was what Soul saw as true, but they were almost identical. They were stubborn and both wanted to protect Maka in their ways. Their hair showed their relations as did the single red eye Wes owned. “We are different people, and we stand by different terms. We are not alike.”

“Are we different? I’ve seen your dreams… They’ve become my own,” Wes swiped sweat off his brow as he gave a smile. His bow dropped as he stood alone. Blair made her way from Wes to Soul, begging him to stop. “I just want to see Maka once. One more time, even if it becomes the last. Right?” Soul flinched as he had that thought almost every day. Soul would think of how he yearned for her smile. How he missed her smaller hands in his. How her hair would fall through his fingers… Blair circled his feet and meowed for attention.

“Isn’t that what we all want?” Soul laughed to himself as his attack stopped mid-way. The scythe in his hands fell onto the snow as Soul took a seat. “I can’t do it… I can’t kill you. I can’t hurt someone Maka would give her life to protect.”

“Tell me about her, Maka. How did you meet? Who is she really?” Wes took a seat next to his father as Blair made her way into Soul’s lap. 

“Well, it’s a long story. But, I guess we have all day huh. We have eternity to talk.” Soul’s face became wet as his tears dripped onto Blair’s fur.


	4. leave it to the fates

The small black cat ran through the tall grass looking for a new plaything. Everyone who ever tried to escape the underworld never made it to her, and a cat can only have so much fun when your only friend was busy sleeping all day. Something rustled in the distance, catching the cat’s attention. Stalking forwards, Blair saw the golden-haired girl as she harvested the wheat. The large scythe in her hand was majestic as she gathered the crop from the ground. Popping out from her hiding spot, Maka screamed. With a small fall, Maka landed in her pile of wheat as Blair only crawled atop her and sniffed the new items all around her. “Who are you?” Maka asked. Her voice was as smooth as the honey golden hair she had. “What are you doing here?” She laughed as a small face appeared from the gates of hell. Soul had been alerted when the doors opened and had escaped his not busy schedule to see what the problem was. This was not the first time Blair had escaped, but this was the first time Blair found another person. 

“Blair?” Soul called out for his furry companion. “Hurry, we need to go home now! We have jobs to do,” Soul touched the tall grass as it started to turn old. The green tall grass became a dead yellow as it wilted and bent away from Soul’s touch. This is why he hated coming up here. “Hurry up Blair!” he called for his cat once more. The furry critter only ignored the distant cries as she nuzzled and became comfortable in Maka’s robes. 

“Is that your owner?” Maka asked as she scratched the back of Blair’s ears, causing a loud purr to escape her body. “You better hurry back before he dies… of…” Maka’s eyes looked up as she spotted Soul. The green grass phased to gold as it came closer to Soul. It framed his figure, and the gray-skinned male had a hint of life in his cheeks. The larger God stood stiff as Blair slept on. “Is this your cat?” Maka asked with a smile. Soul only nodded as the Goddess of spring giggled to herself. “She’s lovely, but I guess you need to hurry back huh,” Picking Blair up, Maka handed the black cat back to the God of the underworld. 

“Oh... uh, thank..s,” Soul responded as he took Blair back into his arms. He spun around and made his way back to the gates as Maka yelled her goodbyes. Blair would then escape again and again as Maka would wait as if it became a routine. She would always say her hellos and goodbyes as Soul could only grumble an improper response. Eventually, Soul would hope Blair would get loose and that he would have to go visit Maka… for… Blair of course. Soul looked forward to each meeting despite never properly greeting Maka, and grew fond of her sunny smiles. He himself would unlock the door, hoping to see her sooner than later. They continued to meet up for months until Maka started to notice Soul leaving the doors open.

“Are you using Blair as an excuse?” Maka joked as the duo ended up sitting down in an empty path after another escape attempt from Blair. 

“Um…” Soul grew sweaty as she had caught him.

“Do you just want to see me?” Reaching over, Maka placed a hand on Soul’s. “It’s okay to say yes… because I look forward to seeing you.”

“Even if all I do is nag and whine?” Soul asked as she had become his source of comfort. “And I always come uninvited to ignore work?” He turned his hand to grab hers as they inched closer and closer.    


“You’re always welcome to greet me, or more. You should come up and… hang out?” Maka pleaded with large eyes. How could he ever say no to that?

“Would that be okay?” Soul asked as Blair crawled up his arms. Blair nuzzled into his neck as a large blush came over his face. “For me to come to see you that is.” His eyes avoided Maka as her hand tightened around his. 

“Yes! Totally okay! Let me know when you visit so I can bring stuff to do. Isn’t it boring just sitting here with me?” Maka asked as her thumb rubbed his hand. 

“NO! Not at all… uh… It’s hard to find someone who will listen like you,” Soul struggled to find words as he suddenly stood up in their silence. “I uh... I have things to finish-in-the-yes. The underworld place. Yeah?” He waved goodbye as he ran away from his feelings, but Maka didn’t mind. She thought it was cute. 

“Tomorrow at sunset?” Maka called out to the embarrassed man as he stopped dead in his tracks to turn back and face her. 

“Okay! See you tomorrow!” Soul shouted before he ran back into hiding. Soul finally said a goodbye, and even made plans to meet her again! His head and heart pounded as his mind was clouded by Maka all day. The next day just didn’t seem to come fast enough. The two started to communicate more as Maka would send letters through the river which lead to the underworld. Her occasional letters contained drawings and flowers. She would talk about her day or her problems as Soul dedicated a drawer to her letters and gifts. Any living thing she would send him would die within minutes. Being the God of the underworld had many perks, but also many cons. Each living item that Maka would give him would die in his hands, as death was bound to him. He felt as if she wasted her efforts on him, as he never imagined falling in love or advancing into a relationship. Soul sat alone in his cage of a home. He was surrounded by spirits, but none cared for him. Being with Maka made Soul yearn for conversion and friends. He wanted someone who would talk to him, and that he could talk to. Awakening the next morning, Soul prepared to see Maka as Blair hopped off his bed. Some petals were flowing in the river as Maka sent them to Soul. He paced next to the river as the petals accumulated into a small pile. Sunset just never seemed to come.

Before meeting Maka, Soul was called to an important meeting. Soul entered the black room as the little demon stood in the shadows. The little demon was a name given to the fate that could see into the future. His ways were brutal and always demanded a fate. He spoke as if his words were law, and many believed it. “What will today’s meeting be about?” Soul questioned as he lowered his head in a bow. 

“I wouldn’t want to ruin your little date, but,” A light shone down from above that highlighted Soul. “There’s something interesting I found that you might want to know…” With a tingle in his fingers, Soul looked up. 

“Please be kind to her,” Soul begged as the light traveled to a bench. The little demon was sitting there as he patted the stone next to him. Soul slowly made his way over as he was afraid of any fate including Maka.

“She will have no harm come to her, physical at least, sort of,” The little demon laughed as he bit his fingers. “But for you… your family line won't get far… your child will not see the next day!”

“Child? What child?” Soul panicked as he stood and walked paces around the room. 

“Your child. You can’t have a bloodline, I see no heir to your throne! No one will relieve you of your work, and no one will let you rest when you’re tired,” The little demon seemed to be growing in size. He bit harder on his fingers as he hid his large smile. 

“But, can I stop it? Is there a way to change my fate?” Soul pleaded, willingly getting on the floor to beg. 

“Ohoh, what a nice scene. The God of the underworld at my feet. But sadly for you, I don’t see a way out. All outcomes I see are of you with no heir, and no lover,” Drool fell from the demon’s mouth as the room disappeared. Soul sat crouched outside of a wall. There was no entrance and no hole. The sturdy wall was always the beginning and the end to Soul’s hopes, as it is where the fates hide. Repositioning himself, Soul’s back touched the cold hard wall as he quietly thought to himself. Hours passed as Blair soon found him. She cuddled against his side and attempted to drag him away from the door. Soul refused to acknowledge her, forcing Blair to change into a panther. In the large cat’s jaws sat the God of the underworld looking more dead than the ones he homed. Blair made her way up to the overworld where Maka had been waiting. Soul made no struggle on the way, but also said nothing when he came face-to-face with Maka. 

“Hey, Soul! How was today in the underworld?” Maka asked as she laid a blanket down on the hard ground. “Soul?” Maka asked with concern as she placed items from her harvest basket down. 

“Huh? Oh uh. No. Nothing happened,” Soul took a seat next to her as he watched how the grass wilted against his fingers. It was always depressing to watch how he killed everything he touched. Would he end up killing Maka too? Or his child?

“This doesn’t seem to be nothing,” Maka sighed as she placed a hand atop Soul’s on the grass. “You can tell me when you don't feel good. We can wrap this up and meet tomorrow ins-”

“No! This… this is good. Better than good. I uh. I enjoy spending time with you,” Soul removed Maka’s hand from his as he sat further away from her. “But maybe we should keep some… distance,” Soul held a blade of grass as it lost its green tones and crumpled in his hand. He twisted the hollow grass in his hands as Maka plucked it from his grasp. 

“Are you worried about… this?” She gestured to the dead grass as she leaned against the God of the underworld. “Because I’m a God too, I won’t die from a little touch of the underworld.” Throwing the grass away, Maka placed her hand back in Soul’s grasp. “You can’t throw me away either,” She leaned in closer as Soul watched her with wonder in his eyes. 

“You can't throw me away either. You wouldn’t do that right?” Their foreheads touched as Maka caressed his cheek.

“I’d never think about it,” She laughed as Soul shed a tear. They stayed together until night fell as the stars watched the two lovers. The moon highlighted their features as Maka sighed. “Are we… dating? Can we date?” Maka’s hands grasped Soul’s robes as she looked into his red eyes. 

“D-dating?? Us? C- Uh- We? Dating?” Soul stumbled with his words as he backed up. He stood suddenly and started to wander back to the gates. “We shouldn’t, we can’t… can we?” 

“Well it doesn’t have to be right now, it can be tomorrow!” She gave a large laugh as Soul’s heart pounded louder and louder. Following the older boy, Maka stood and waited on the blanket.

“I… I want to but, I’m scared. I don’t want to hurt you Maka, and the fates said I’d be with no lover… so… I don’t want something to happen to you,” Soul explained how his future was laid out for him and how he was destined to live alone in the underworld, but Maka refused to listen. 

“They may be the fates, but they aren’t Lady Marie. The fates can only guess your future on the path you’ve set yourself on, so let's make a new path. Together,” Maka stood right in front of Soul as he stayed put. Maka grasped Soul’s cold hands as they shared their first kiss. “So is this a yes?” Maka grinned as Soul pulled away. “Ah, huh?” She questioned as Soul only rubbed his hands together.

“Give me some time to think… I need to think.” And with a wave goodbye, Soul ran away back to the underworld. Their visits stayed regular, but the two never started dating until many years later. Maka eventually had to explain who her father was. The overprotective man named Spirit was the god of harvest, and would have never allowed Maka to meet a man, let alone another God! They visited in the afternoons or nights, keeping their love a secret from many. One night, the two were not careful as someone spotted Maka slipping away. Spirit became furious at his daughter for disobeying his rules, and Maka ran away. She traveled to their secret meeting spot and waited for her lover to return. The day was growing cold as Spirit became harsh. He searched and searched for his beloved daughter, only to find nothing. Maka in reality sat at the doors of the underworld, waiting for the white-haired man to meet her. When midnight struck, Soul wandered out and saw Maka asleep at the door.

“Maka?” Soul shook the Goddess of spring awake as she hugged him. 

“Soul… I have a serious question. Please listen,” Maka spoke into Soul’s ears as she refused to show her face to him. “Let me live with you? In the underworld that is.”

“Maka? Are you sure? There’s nothing down there, it’s all ugly and-”

“And you’re there. All the time. Alone. My father is on the verge of finding out, and I’d rather be free with you than in a cage for the rest of time!” Maka pleaded with Soul, knowing he could never say no to her. “He's constantly watching me and uses nymphs as guards. Now that he knows I sneak out I’ll never be able to walk around freely!” Maka’s voice cracked as she pleaded for sanctuary in the underworld. 

“I- you know I can’t say no…” Soul sighed as he brought the golden goddess into his dark world. He grasped her hand as they traveled down. 

Each level of hell they explored. Elysium reminded Maka of home as the grass felt the same. The only difference was the blue hue, and it didn’t wilt under Soul’s feet. Maka watched with amazement as Soul walked across the grass. They spent days just laying in the Elysium grass watching the Soul catcher’s butterflies flutter around. Blair would chase them as her small cat form but would change into the oversized panther the more excited she became. The first time Maka had seen Blair’s true form, Maka was enlightened. She wept as a huge kitten was far better than the small cat she played with. The larger the cat, the more fur to pet! The three eventually ran into the gorgons, who at the time were not under a contract. The two Gorgon sisters had a smaller person with them. Crona would be pushed around and was given impossible demands to do, and earned the sympathy of Maka.

Asphodel was a strange place as the red water, or lava she learned, was hot and hurt! Maka stuck her burnt finger in her mouth as she whined, hoping to leave Asphodel as fast as she could. Despite the lava though, Maka enjoyed the heat. It felt like summer on the surface when the Gods decided to have an off day. Looking back at the lava, a small face appeared. “SOUL?” Maka gasped as she almost stuck her finger back in the hot red liquid. “What was that??”

“Oh uh, a chrustacean?” Soul answered as Maka inched closer to the cute lava-dwelling creature. 

“It’s so cute?? And you never thought to tell me these existed?” Maka yelped as the small shelled chrustacean sunk back into the lava. With a sad sigh, Maka left to continue to Soul’s home. 

Tartarus was the most mysterious as she had no idea what to think of the place. The many rooms were difficult to remember, but soon Soul told Maka the truth. “Ah, don't try to remember the way out… the rooms change every time you leave them,” Maka sighed as her hard work was destroyed. So long mental map! There was not much in Tartarus besides the winged beasts who Maka liked. Their personalities were great, and Maka had a moment of realization. “I thought you were alone down here?”

“Well, I technically am as I don’t talk to anyone. I live by myself with only a few people around, and they fear my reputation. The only people I talk to outside of work are you and Blair… Is that strange? To feel outcast in the place created for me?” Soul twiddled his fingers and looked away as Maka rolled her eyes. 

“Of course not, I felt the same way on the surface. Let’s spend this time together with everyone else too!” Maka grabbed Soul’s hands once again and gave a squeeze. They finally headed out to their final destination: home. 

Many years had passed as the group made many changes. Maka, with her stubborn attitude, continued to talk and befriend as many people as she could. She was loved by many and even made her own changes to the underworld. Maka would catch herself making multiple trips to see Crona, and offered the contract to the Gorgon sisters to save Crona from their endless needs. Not wanting to be useless, Crona asked for a job and eventually became the boat connecting the dead and the living. 

Maka became known for her kindness and was called the queen of the underworld, even before Soul and Maka wed. The marriage was large as everyone was invited. The party lasted weeks as the family celebrated their love. Things couldn’t be more perfect, but then the family of two became a family of three. Maka was pregnant, and it scared Soul. The words of the little demon ate at his heart, and Soul didn’t have it in him to tell Maka that their child would not live. It’s what to be expected as the God of the underworld married a land-dwelling God, but Maka kept an optimistic look. Soul never saw an ounce of fear in Maka. Ever. Since they first met Soul had never seen her afraid, but then the baby was born. Wes was still as he was delivered, and it terrified Maka. She had never felt this feeling, and that scared her more. She felt guilt, disappointment, and fear. The optimistic Goddess suddenly grew scared of everything she had become and fled the underworld as soon as she could. Now she lay at the entrance of the underworld, away from Greece and away from Soul.


	5. the strong cry too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amazing boon items were made, and added at the end of this chapter!!! Please give them love because I love them!

By the end of Soul’s story, all the snow around the two had melted. With a sad smile, Soul watched Wes fidget. “I’m so sorry Wes, for everything. I just never learned how to cope, and looking at you… you’re just like your mother. I never told you because I knew it would come to this one day. And when we stand here and fight I’d never be able to kill you.”

“But, if Maka is right there, why didn’t you ever get her. Why didn’t you tell her? You left Maka alone,” Wes reasoned as Soul laid back on the wilting grass that was hidden in the snow.

“It was her last request, and I love her. I refuse to seek her out, as she would-”

“If I’m just like Maka then I would tear up your stupid paper and make you come to your senses! You made an oath to that together! A small issue came up, does that mean you love her any less?” Wes stood and walked past Soul. “If she listened to you, I’d be nothing like her,” 

Wes left through the small remains of a garden that hid the gates to hell as he marched through the snow. Blair followed close behind, stepping in Wes’s warm footprints. The sun was setting, and Wes had never seen such a beautiful sight. The white mountain tops stopped parts of the sun’s rays as the large ocean echoed back the light. The large clouds parted as if directing Wes where to go. The large piles of snow suddenly became thinner. The snow climbed down his leg as the green grass showed through. There was a green clearing further away, and Wes could feel a faint feeling of weakness in his knees. Charging forwards into the green oasis, a woman stood in the fields. She held a basket full of long golden wheat as her hands tended to leafy greens on the floor.

“... Maka?” Wes’s voice creeped out. He had brought himself on this journey to meet her, but the fear covered his eyes. Was this really Maka? Would she love him as he hoped? Blair ran forwards as she spotted Maka. 

“Kitten!” The black cat called out as she lept towards the blonde. 

“Oh, Gods! Blair?” Maka was filled with excitement as she picked the cat up and nuzzled Blair into her face. Maka looked back in the direction which Blair came from and saw a Soul look alike. His knees gave out as she made eye contact with him. 

“Who are you? You look…”

“Maka…” Wes groaned. His sight became blurred as tears swelled. “It’s me… Wes?” He stumbled as he walked closer to his mother. 

“Wes?” Maka panicked to herself. “You can’t- who are you?!” The blonde raised her hand and attempted to hit Wes, a pair of hands moved around her waist. Maka was captured in a hug as Wes squeezed her tight as if he was afraid she would disappear once again. Blair hopped down as she circled around Wes’s feet. 

“I’m your son, Maka. I- I’m the son of the Goddess of spring and the God of the underworld, I would never want to be anyone else,” Wes’s tears dribbled onto Maka’s shoulder. The Goddess’s hands slowly rattled as she dropped her basket. The maidens hands shook as she tightly hugged Wes back, grabbing his robes with no care. He was warm, he was alive, and he was here. 

“He even kept your name!” Maka cried into her son’s shoulder. “If I ever knew I wouldn’t have ever left,”

“But you didn’t know, so it’s okay.” Wes gave a sad laugh as they both collapsed to the soft grass. “It’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry Wes. I’m so sorry I can’t begin to expl-”

“I’ve already explained it.” A sturdy voice came from behind the duo as they cried on the still-green grass. Dead grass led up to a large gray figure as Maka suddenly stood. Her hands covered her mouth as she ran forwards into Soul’s arms. The God of the underworld struggled to keep his balance as he hugged the smaller Goddess back. Maka laughed as she was swung by her husband, but gasped as she realized her mistakes. Maka leaped from his arms and back to the safety of the grass. 

“You idiot! You absolute dunce!” She yelled as her small hand hopped Soul on his head, causing the larger male to falter. “Why didn’t you think of telling me?”

“Because you said don’t come after you!”

“I never said don’t come to get me! I just said don’t follow me!”

“They’re the same thing?? If you wanted me to come after you, why didn’t you ever come back?!”

“Because I was scared!” Wes watched his parents bicker as they soon were tired of screaming at each other. “It was a long time ago! Had I known our son lived, I would have never left!” Maka looked down as she crouched, still out of breath. “And it’s been so long, how was I supposed to know if you had moved on?” Soul walked forwards to Maka as Blair rubbed against her feet.

“I..” Soul looked around as Blair tried to help. He truly was bad at expressing himself. “Would it be okay… if I continued to love you?” Crouching down, Soul grasped Maka’s hand. “Can I love you?” Maka’s small face fit perfectly in Soul’s hands. It was finally his time to wipe her tears. Maka nodded yes as his large thumb caressed the soft sun-kissed skin under her eyes. The grass below the two grew as small flowers began to emerge. Wes laid across the soft grass and gripped it with his injured hands. Things were finally starting to look good, but something gnawed at the back of his mind. Propping himself back up, Wes got a good angle as his mother slapped Soul. 

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?” She yelled, finally back with her senses. Her yelling was overpowered by her slaps and kicks as Soul accepted it all. “Raising _our_ son without me, then not even telling me he’s alive??” Maka stormed into her small cottage by the river as Wes watched with wide eyes. He chased after his mother and opened the small door she had just slammed to reveal a cute, yet empty, interior. 

“It’s empty?” Wes questioned his mother as she wiped her tears. “I’ve been thinking about moving back, and here you all are! Storming into my life!” The blonde angrily picked up her bags as Wes took one from her hand. “Making me feel and stuff…” Maka grumbled to herself as Crona appeared with the boat. She dragged herself onto the boat as Soul followed close behind. Crona could only sweat as the large load was placed on. Soul eyed Maka as if asking for permission to sit next to her, but was met with a cold glare. Wes was shoved down as he took a seat next to his mother. Maka placed her hand over his, feeling nervous to see her old friends again. The boat softly began to leave the overworld as Maka’s sorrow-filled eyes watched her little cabin disappear into the distance. The silence became unbearable as Wes felt like he was stuck in their fight. Soul would catch himself watching Maka’s hand as it stayed firmly on his son’s hand. Not that he was jealous of his own son but… He was just reunited with Maka. His body would burst at any second, but the older gray man refused to let it break now. He has a reputation for Gods sake! But even the Gods could stop his heart from loving. 

“You don't have to come back,” Soul started, but Maka ended. 

“And you don't have to talk to me or my son ever again,” Wes may have just met his mother, but he already knew this was love. This is home. A feisty girl to keep the beast at bay… what could be better? A smile crept up his parent’s faces as they continued to argue, just like way back when. They argued about the small things, the large things, and even about nothing just to keep the conversation going. Unwilling to have it end. Soon, Wes joined in their… conversation. The stories of his escapes were shared, as were many smacks. Each time Maka would hear a displeasing thing, Soul flinched as if he knew what would happen. The stories continued on as the reunited family finally reached back home. The large gates for once did not force themselves open but welcomed the old member back to her home. Her step echoed along the halls as faces turned and tears fell. A grand party was thrown, lasting many weeks as everyone celebrated the return of the queen. Soul and Maka spent their weekends free as Soul took the time to learn to love again. The family of three took adventures out into the lands as the parents taught their son many things about the lands he once fought in. Like Soul, Maka also had her high and hard reputation to keep and continued to pressure the Gorgon sisters. Her… strong influence visited the sisters till they gave up and lived their lives on a lower level. The once rulers of Elysium now roamed the Tartarus rooms forever, learning how to rely on themselves for once. Crona visited more often and even learned to speak with the others They learned many things, even when they were silent. Black Star, Patty, and Kid took turns learning about Maka’s life on the surface as Tsubaki and Liz learned how Maka kept the gardens in the underworld alive. Pomegranates sprung to life, bringing a new festival with them. The group would take their time in the new fields of fruit as she taught them how to weave and create. They learned to create with their hands, and with their souls. 

Tsubaki sat out in the fields with her friends as they watched the eternal flowing cloudy river. Her feet were dipped in the clouds, as she never grew tired of watching it. Wes turned away from his mother as he watched his foster mother swish her feet around. He took a seat next to her. “Tsubaki!” Wes grinned. “I don’t think I ever said thank you,” Her eyes never left the clouds, yet a small smile formed on her face. 

“I should be the one thanking you, Wes,” Her toes felt cold in the clouds as Wes leaned in, touching his shoulder with hers. “I always thought I was cursed to be a witch. I always seemed to bring power that ended up hurting others. As I became the Goddess of darkness… It only seemed reasonable to bring bad luck.” 

“But you saved me. The great witch Tsubaki brought back the child of the God of the underworld and the Goddess of harvest. It never should have worked, but you made it work. You’ve not only given me family, but you brought yourself a family too.” Wes wrapped an arm around the depressing Goddess. 

“It was so hard in the beginning…” Her hands then wiped her tears. “I thought I had done it again. I thought I ruined their relationship,” Her eyes met Wes’s, “But I truly have found my own family within you. So, I should be the one thanking you.” Her hands wrapped around Wes as they shared a hug. They slowly stood and rejoined the crowd as Maka grasped Tsubaki’s hand with a large smile. The two chatted as the blonde braided Tsubaki’s long hair. The red flowers gleamed in Tsubaki’s hair, but her smile was brighter. Black Star played music all night long as the Thompson sisters sang. The land seemed to glow as the group settled down, waiting for the next day to come. 

* * *

Boon items: 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the experience!!! I loved every minute, even the times I struggled writing this. I'm very happy to finally complete a giant project, and I hope to work on the next resbang too!


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